Detectives believe the 7-year-old could have been killed or died in late May. Pankey’s uncle said the mother acted normally while attending a family funeral in November.

Denver District Attorney Beth McCann released a statement thanking the Aurora and Denver Police Departments for their work on the case.

“We now know that young Caden was not only missing for several months, he was no longer alive," McCann said. "This is a terrible tragedy for the community. While this case will take time to resolve, it will take even longer for our community to learn and heal.”